Homecoming legacy is in the hands of students

Homecoming is an exciting time of year for students, faculty, staff and alumni to come together, and enjoy a weekend-long party with breaks for tailgating and football. Students should be using this weekend to have a good time and escape the rigors of early mornings and class work. While it is important that we acknowledge the importance of fun and letting loose, there are certain boundaries, albeit hazy ones, that shouldn’t be crossed.

Homecoming is finally returning to Queen’s University after a four year suspension due to excessive street parties and rowdy crowds. I can’t imagine that a party four years back was so good that it was worth costing the school a homecoming.  Laurier students should take note.

Schools are concerned about homecoming parties for two reasons: they are a safety concern and detrimental to a school’s academic standing or reputation. Yes, administration cares about student well-being and property damage, but the impact of infamous partying can hurt a school’s reputation, which has a long term impact on the value of future degrees.

Laurier is known for its St. Patrick’s Day and homecoming festivities. For now, neither threaten the school’s reputation or academic standing. There is a fine line between being a school that parties and being a party school. If the university gets a sense that Laurier is being identified by the latter, it’s bad for enrolment and bad for students upon graduation.

It is important to be mindful of existing dangers. Several sexual assaults have occurred near the university this year and we should take ownership for happenings on campus and in the community.

With one of the most hectic and party-filled weekends coming up, let’s take care of each other, use services like Foot Patrol, and keep ourselves in check so that if things do get a little too crazy, we can help bring it back under control. That’s not to say we can stop crime or anyone can single-handedly stop a rowdy street party, but we can help foster an atmosphere that promotes inclusivity, safety and security.

Basically, everyone wins as long we are having fun but are responsible in doing so. We should embrace the occasion, have fun and party without worrying about the long term impact. But we should act within reason and know that universities will not hesitate to shut the party down indefinitely.